Heating device for railroad switches



Nov. 25, m30; l HMMER ET AL usm@ HEATING DEVICE FOR RAILROD SWITCHES Filed-April 18, 1928 2 Sl'leebSwSlleeJtl l ffy/@K IN V @N TCR3 'HenigfM ller' By 11.13.135' fs A TTORNEYS.

' Nov. 25, H93@ H. MILLER x-:T AL

HEATING DEVICE FOR RAILROAD SWITCHES Filed April 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 INVENTpR Henzgy Mzller Beil' @7m/Mmmm@ Patented Nov. 1930 UNITED STATES Pn'rEla'l; oFFicE HENRY MILLER AND BENJAMIN B. BETTS, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI; BETTS AS'- 'SIGNOR TO SAID MILLER.

HEATING DEVICE FOR RAILROAD SWITCHES i Application filed April 18,

. vThis invention relates to improvements in devices for heatingswitch members on railroad turns during cold weather, or for any other suitable purpose. A

An object of this invention is to provide a heatingdevice which may be applied to certain portions of switches, rails, plates, detector parts, and the usual appliances of switch mechanism, in such a manner that the temperature of these portions may be kept above the freezing point, and snow and sleet, if any, melted away, thereby eliminating the necessity of using salt or brooms by attendants, and insurmg at all times that the switches maybe safely operated for the eiiicient andv uick movement of trains.

Other ob]ects of this invention ywill appear from the following detailed description of the device and as disclosed in thetwo 'sheets of drawings which' are herewith made a part 'of this application.

tional view of the heating device, disclosing tpe different members in assembled relations 1p. p p

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the heating device.

Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the heating device.

Fig. 4 lrepresents a plan view of a section of railroad track having a turn out or switch portion, and anumber of heating devices herewith describedand claimed arranged in operative relationship therewith.

Fi 5 illustrates a side elevational view of Fig. 4 disclosing a plurality of heating vdevices arranged in operative relationship with a rail member.

In the heating device according to this invention, numeral l1 desi ates a main body portion, made of an suitable material such as cast iron 'or stee, andprovided with a compartment 2 for holding a suitable liquid such as a volatile fuel 3, and a compartment 4, for receiving a quantit of porous refractory material 5, such as as stos liber, pumice stone, or a mixturev of the two, or other like material. L

An orifice 6 is provided to bring the com- 1921s. serial no. 270,982.

with each other. The liquid fuel 3 is adapted v to pass through the orifice 6 and saturate thoroughly the material 5. The upper, or open end of body 1, is preferably provided with two lid portions 7 and 8.

The lid portion 7 is removable, but stationary while in position, and is with downwardly extending" side anges 9 and 10 for the purpose of holding the'lid 7 in position. The lid portion 8 is preferably formed having an opening 11 through which the liquid 3 may be delivered to the compartment 2. The opening 11 may be oval in-shape and fitted with a removable cap portion 12.

The lid 8 is arranged to slide in a horizontal direction and is held and guided into position by downwardly extending side ange`s'13. The lid 8 is reduced in width at its forward end, as clearly disclosed at 14, the cxtreme forward edge being provided with an upwardly extending rib 15, for the purpose of convenience in sliding the lid 8 backward or forward.

The lid 8 is made shorter than the com-l bined lengths of the b urner and fuel compartments so that when the burnerv is open the lid will not project beyond the opposite end of the device, in which position it could be readily displaced by having the projecting portion stepped upon by a person walking along the right of way.

Lug portions 16 are cast integrally with the compartment section 4, for the purpose of serving as a stop for lid 8l in its forward movement, and also by virtue of the height of the lugs 16, they 'function to prevent the upper side of compartment 4 fromv coming too close to the rail 17 when in operative position therewith, thereby insuring suiiicient space for the proper burning of the flame and for supporting the device which may tend to tilt due tothe sloping contour of the ballast upon which it may be set.

- In order to completely cover the compartment 2'when the lid 8 is shoved backward for the purpose of uncovering compartment 4, as clearly disclosed in Figure 3, a flange portion tion 1.

In operation this invention rovides a heating device which may be utilized 1n a number of directions, being particularly adapted for service in connection with the heating of railway devices in cold weather. |The heater may be located between two switch ties 19 and 20, as clearly disclosed in Figures 4 and 5, the compartment 4, holding the porous refractory material 5, is adjusted under the switch rail 17. A plurality of the devices may be utilized ina similar manner as clearly disclosed in the drawings, an throughout the length of the switch system.

Normally, the lid 8 is pulled into a forward position covering compartment 4, and when snow or sleet occurs the lid 8 is shoved back, as clearly disclosed in Figure 3, uncovering the porous refractory material, which is saturated with the oil from the chamber 2. The oil is then ignited and allowed to burn as long as theweather conditions require. The oil in the compartment 2 is replaced from time to time as it is consumed through the orifice 11. The flame is then extinguished and the porous refractory material protected from moisture and dirt by sliding the lid 8 hack again over the compartment 4. The lid 7 having guide ribs 9 and 10, may be easily removed for cleaning the compartment 2.

It is to be understood that substitutions and alterations may be made in the above disclosure, both in the specification and drawings, within the scope of the appended claim without affecting the merits of this invention.

What We claim is:

A switch heating device comprising a receptacle havingl communicating compartments, one being a reservoir for liquid fuel and the otherconstructed as a burner, a slidable cover closing top openings of both compartments, the length of which does not sub- Vstantially exceed the length of the fuel reservoir, and a removable under-cover over that part of the reservoir exposed when the slidmg cover is moved to a position covermg the burner.

tures.

B. B. BETTS. HENRY ,MILLER In testimony whereof we aiix our signa- 

